The Casual Fling
by digthewriter
Summary: After being away for several years, Merlin comes back into Arthur's life. He's out and proud and Arthur can't seem to be able to resist him.


**Title: The Casual Fling**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Merlin. This Modern!AU rendition is written for fun. No profit is being made.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The Engagment Party**

 **Summary:** After being away for several years, Merlin comes back into Arthur's life. He's out and proud and Arthur can't seem to be able to resist him.

* * *

" _Engaged_?" Arthur asked the question so loudly that the entire cafe turned around to look at him. "What do you mean, _engaged_?" he continued, ignoring everyone.

Gwaine gave him a smirk. "Well when a man and a woman like each other very much and they decide to—"

"Oh, shut up," Arthur said. "They've barely known each other for—"

"They've been dating for two years, Arthur. Not everyone has commitment issues like you do."

"I don't have commitment issues."

"Right." Gwaine snorted.

"Besides, I'm not about to marry a woman."

"You can always marry a man," Gwaine said.

Arthur rolled his eyes and sipped on his latte again. He'd dated Gwen back in the day, before he'd realised he fancied men way more than he fancied women and when she'd met Lance, Arthur had thought that it was just a rebound. Much to his surprise, they were inseparable and now they were _engaged_. Arthur couldn't understand. Not really. Gwen hated the idea of marriage. Especially how her parents had a falling out and Arthur related to her in that sense. After his mother's passing, his father had dated many women and even married a few but they all had ended up in disaster.

Gwen and Arthur had made a pact that they were never going to get married and now — here she was. Engaged to Lance. How bizarre.

"So are you going to come to the party, or not?" Gwaine asked when they'd been quiet for a while.

"I wasn't invited," Arthur said.

Gwaine grabbed Arthur's phone that was on the table and did something with it. "Here's your invite. You just don't check your email as much as—"

"I check my email," Arthur protested.

"No. You check your _work_ email all the time, not your personal email. Why would Gwen send you an engagement party invitation to your business email?" Gwaine shook his head and Arthur really hated him for how patronising he was being but he let it be. He always let Gwaine be.

"Fine," Arthur said taking his phone back. "Who else is going to be there?"

"You mean who else is going to be there that you can fuck?" Gwaine said casually and Arthur gave him a look that only Gwaine would understand. The look only one best friend can understand from another. The look of: _I can't believe you're even asking me this_.

Gwaine shook his head before he spoke. "Check the last name on the invite list."

"Zeland_Em at gmail dot com," Arthur said, raising an eyebrow.

"It's Merlin's personal email address," Gwaine responded taking a sip from Arthur's coffee cup.

" _Merlin_?" Arthur paused as if he was thinking the name over. "I thought he lived in New—"

"New Zealand, yeah. He's just come back to Camelot. For good," Gwaine replied.

"Why would I care, though? Merlin's straight."

"No, he's not."

"What? I thought he —"

"He was straight when we were all in uni together, or he thought he was, I reckon. He recently told Kara who told Mordred, who told me—"

"Oh my God, are we seventeen again?" Arthur interrupted; he couldn't help himself.

Gwaine ignored him. "He said he'd finally come out to his parents and then decided to tell all his friends, too."

"Interesting," Arthur said.

Arthur had always found Merlin tragically attractive in their uni days but Arthur had never approached him. Merlin was always awfully quiet when Arthur and Gwaine were always the talk of the town and the centre of attention. Arthur didn't want to embarrass himself in front of Merlin so he'd never asked him to hang out and had just assumed like everyone else that Merlin was straight.

Come to think of it, Arthur had never seen Merlin with a girl or a guy so they didn't really have any real basis to establish that assumption. Arthur himself had always been out since his father had caught him snogging Morgana's boyfriend that one time when he was sixteen.

"So I take it that you're coming then?" Gwaine asked, interrupting Arthur's thoughts again.

"Oh, that'll be for certain," Arthur replied with a wink.

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Once A Week**

 **Summary:** Arthur sees Merlin at the engagement party and he's just as hot as Arthur had remembered.

* * *

Gwen and Lance's engagement party was off to a boring start. According to Arthur, anyway. There were speeches made, champagne, and the whole cute story of "how they met." Arthur knew it all and he really didn't care, anyway. He was there for one reason and one reason only.

He'd seen a few handsome blokes walking around, they were friends with Lance's flatmate, and a few of them had even given Arthur _the eye_. But Arthur was going to wait until the last minute before returning any interest to any of them. He wanted to see Merlin first.

If the spark he felt for Merlin was still there, then he'd go for it. If not, then he'd settle for someone else.

He was glad he'd waited because when Merlin walked into the room, Arthur almost forgot how to breathe. "Holy shit," he muttered to himself and Gwaine, standing next to him, chuckled.

Merlin was just as gorgeous as Arthur remembered. The big blue eyes, short and spiky hair, a scarf wrapped around his neck and those unnaturally big ears. Arthur used to have dreams about Merlin's ears. He always wanted to grab and pull on them while Merlin sucked his—

"Arthur," Merlin said as he approached Arthur and Gwaine, and gave him a short nod.

Yanked out of his daydream, Arthur responded in kind. "Merlin. Good to see you," he said.

Merlin opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted when Gwen arrived next to him and called his name in delight. "So glad you came!" she said and he turned to give her a hug.

"Sorry I'm late," Merlin said. "I couldn't find the place and my blasted GPS wasn't working."

Gwen forgave him and then pulled him away to introduce him to Lance and the rest of her friends.

"Bloody hell," Arthur said to Gwaine. Gwaine just laughed at him. "Are you going to say something or you're just going to continue making fun of me?"

"Good luck," Gwaine said to him. "What are you going to do? Ask him out for coffee or take him straight to the flat?"

Arthur shrugged. "Coffee will only delay the inevitable," he said.

*-*00*-*

Arthur was having a hard time keeping his eyes off Merlin. Much to his delight, every time he looked at Merlin, Merlin was looking right back at him and grinning. At least he was acting interested.

As the party started winding down, Arthur decided to approach Merlin.

"So," Arthur said.

"So," Merlin replied.

"How are you settling back into Camelot?"

"Fine," Merlin said. "Everything seems to be exactly where it was when I'd left."

"You sound disappointed."

Merlin shook his head. "No, it's a good thing. I like the familiar. New Zealand had been the time of my life but it had to end and you know, I'll miss my friends but it was time to move on and come back 'home', so to speak."

Arthur nodded and then turned to really _look_ at Merlin. "Mer—"

"Let me guess," Merlin interrupted and Arthur raised an eyebrow. "You're here to ask me if I want to do something. Or maybe you're just going to be direct as always and ask if I want to come back to your flat tonight."

Was he _that_ obvious? Normally, Arthur didn't mind being direct but something about the tone of Merlin's voice was unsettling.

"You have a reputation," Merlin said.

"You've been asking about me?" Arthur teased.

"No. I've always known what you were like and I gathered you were still the same."

"It's not a bad thing."

"Not for some, it's not," Merlin said, looking around the room, and nodded to someone was standing by the door. Arthur turned to look; it was Mordred. "I don't do casual fucks, Arthur. I never have."

"What makes you think I wasn't going to ask you out on a proper date? Coffee and all?"

"Were you?" Merlin raised an eyebrow.

"I don't date," Arthur said.

"That's what I thought," Merlin said and was looking like he was about to take his leave.

"So what? You won't even give me a chance?" Arthur said. "I'm not _that_ shallow. Maybe you could change my mind."

"Change your mind by going home with you tonight?" Merlin asked; his tone was accusatory and Arthur _did not_ like it.

"No. What if I do ask you out on a date? A no-sex date."

"One no-sex date?" Merlin asked.

"Fine," Arthur said, resisting rolling his eyes. "A series of no-sex dates. Like once a week for a month. Then you can decide if you want to have sex with me, or not."

Merlin furrowed his brows at him as if he didn't really believe Arthur. "Okay," he said, eventually. "See you this Friday. I'll call you."

* * *

 **Chapter 3: The First Date**

 **Summary:** After Merlin had dared him, Arthur wasn't going to back down. He was determined to go on no-sex dates with Merlin—even if he wasn't a relationship kind of a bloke.

* * *

For their first date, Merlin asked Arthur to meet him at Albion Park for a picnic. He'd told Arthur he only needed to bring wine or beer as he'd take care of the rest. Arthur thought it was rather too romantic for him. What were they going to do? Watch the sunset together?

Still he decided to go because he was a Pendragon and didn't back away from a challenge.

When Arthur arrived, Merlin was already set up under a tree with a big sheet next to it. He was sitting on the sheet; the picnic basket was placed next to him while he rested against the tree, reading a book. Arthur took his time walking up to Merlin. He reckoned he liked the sight a bit too much. Merlin looked so relaxed and he looked _so good_. Arthur wanted to sit next to him and pull him in for a kiss.

Merlin looked up when Arthur was relatively close to him and he grinned at Arthur, almost taking Arthur's breath away. How was Arthur supposed to _not_ want to have sex with Merlin? He was bloody gorgeous, and was Arthur really expected to sit next to him and not make a move?

"Hi," Merlin said, almost in a whisper when Arthur was practically standing over him. "Want to sit down?" he asked and Arthur was sure that Merlin had quickly glanced over at Arthur's crotch.

Arthur wasn't surprised, though. The zipper of his jeans was practically in Merlin's face.

Arthur took a seat on the other side of the picnic basket and handed Merlin the bag he'd brought with him. "I didn't know if you like red or white so I brought both," he said.

Merlin's cheeks slightly blushed and he took the bag from Arthur. He cleared his throat before speaking, "Right."

Arthur couldn't believe that he'd been so dense. This whole time when he'd been thinking about Merlin and his former crush on the man, he hadn't realised that it was clear Merlin liked him, too. Merlin was the one who had discussed Arthur's discretions or lack thereof and was ready to go on dates with him without any hesitation.

 _Merlin liked him, too._

This wasn't just some _dare_ when Merlin had announced to Arthur that he didn't do casual fucks; _he_ wanted to _date_ Arthur.

Arthur gently grazed Merlin's arm with the back of his hand. It was a good thing Merlin was just wearing a t-shirt. "You look good," Arthur said and winked at Merlin when he'd looked at him.

"Oh. Um...thanks," Merlin said hesitantly, cheeks flushing again.

"So what did you bring for the picnic?" Arthur asked, taking his hand away; and he watched as Merlin's gaze followed Arthur's hand until he rested it on his lap. Maybe Merlin liked Arthur touching him. No, Merlin _definitely_ liked Arthur touching him.

"Right," Merlin said again. "I thought we'd start with an avocado and cucumber salad, then see how we feel about the roast beef sandwiches, and then for dessert, we can do apple pie or tiramisu." He carefully took out a small insulated box out of the basket. "Tiramisu works best because if we don't eat it, it might get ruined."

"Oh, we certainly don't want that," Arthur said, amused. "You really went all out on this date, didn't you? Where did you get all this food?"

Merlin shrugged. "I made it. I've been looking for a job since I got back so I've got nothing but time on my hand."

"You _made_ it?" Arthur asked, surprised and impressed.

Arthur sat with his back against the tree as Merlin served him the salad on a small plate and placed half of the sandwich next to it.

"There's some fizzy drinks, too, in case you want to start with that instead of the wine."

Arthur nodded and took a bite of the sandwich. It was delicious.

"What kind of a job are you looking for?" he asked when they had been quiet for too long.

"Chef," Merlin said, pouring the red wine in two small cups.

Of course. No wonder the food was so tasty. Arthur couldn't cook to save his life. "But I thought you got your Masters in Business Administration."

"I did. Then I moved to New Zealand with my parents as my dad got a job there and they didn't want me to be too far away from them. There, I tried working with him in his company and I was bored beyond belief. I'd joined a few social networking groups and hosted a few parties at my flat— before I knew it, I realised I liked cooking for other people way more than working in some stuffy office so I went to Culinary Arts School. My dad was _not_ happy." Merlin laughed and he wasn't looking at Arthur as he balanced his plate on his knee and took a sip of the wine.

Arthur thought he could watch him laugh like that forever.

"Why wasn't he happy?"

"Because my mum made him pay for it," Merlin said, grinning. "He was also my test subject for any new culinary creations—he didn't mind _that_ part so much."

"What made you come back?"

"Mum was getting homesick. We were there for almost four years and she'd finally convinced my dad to return home."

"You're very close to your family." It wasn't really a question but more of an observation. Arthur couldn't really relate. He was sure that Morgana hated him, even if she was his sister and probably only tolerated him in public because they had a few common friends.

"Yeah. I'd do anything for my mum. I mean, I have to be honest. I was missing Camelot, too. I missed my friends from uni and I was planning on moving back on my own, and was just happy my mum convinced Dad in order to keep the family together."

Arthur nodded and finished the last of his salad. He looked up at Merlin who looked somewhat sheepish.

"What's the matter?"

Merlin shook his head. "I'm not used to talking this much and I— I don't know what came over me. Sorry."

Arthur laughed. He rested his head against the tree and looked up at the sky, still laughing. "Why are you sorry?" he asked. "Isn't this what no-sex dates are all about? Getting to know the other person."

"Yeah, to think you would have lost out on my fabulous life story if we'd just fucked—" Merlin stopped himself from saying anything else. "Sorry," he said again.

Arthur smiled. "It's alright. I'm rather enjoying this date."

Merlin grinned at him. "Me too."

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Exceeding Expectations**

 **Summary:** Arthur is pleasantly surprised at how well his first date with Merlin is going.

* * *

Arthur felt slightly buzzed after he and Merlin finished the second bottle of wine on their picnic date. He liked the fact that he could just stare at Merlin without it being awkward. He watched Merlin's jaw clench when he'd say something awkward and was embarrassed, and when Merlin would bite his lower lip, Arthur dreamt of tasting them.

"What about you?" Merlin asked. "What's new in the life of Arthur Pendragon?"

Arthur shrugged. "Not much. I work with my father in the family business."

"And what is that exactly?"

"Publishing," Arthur said, bland.

"Oh, that's right. You went to graduate school in the States for Literature, isn't it?"

Arthur's eyes widened slightly with surprise. "How'd you know that?"

"I kept in touch with Morgana," Merlin said.

"Yeah. The two of you were rather close in uni. I was always so jealous of her." Arthur was horrified at the last revelation. He didn't mean to say it out loud. Blast the wine.

Merlin smiled but didn't retort. Arthur was glad. He wasn't sure how much more embarrassment he could have endured. "So does Gwaine still harbour that not-so-secret crush on her?" Merlin asked.

"Oh dear God!" Arthur groaned. "He won't shut up about how perfect he thinks she is, but he _still_ won't ask her out. I mean, it's not like she stays single for long. She's always involved with some boyfriend, or other..."

"Yeah. She's sort of like the opposite of you in that sense," Merlin said.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't do relationships, and all Morgana does beside work is find a new boyfriend to settle down with."

"She just wants what her mother and her stepfather had," Arthur said. "They were happy and in love until the day they died, and I reckon that's just what she wants. Someone who looks at her in that fond way and makes her happy."

Merlin made a noncommittal grunt and Arthur reckoned they'd reached the awkward part of their first date.

"It's a lot," he said.

"What's a lot?" Merlin asked.

"To give your heart to someone constantly, and only to be disappointed over and over again."

"Is that why you don't do it?"

Arthur released a sigh. "I don't see the point. Everyone just disappoints you, eventually."

Merlin nodded and opened the box with the dessert. Arthur figured he'd made things weird again. They were supposed to be on a date, and even if it wasn't going to lead to sex, Arthur still wanted to get to know Merlin. He'd thought by the end of the month, if anything, he'd finally put his damned crush to rest and maybe make a new friend. With the way things were going, Merlin most likely would never want to see him again.

*-*00*-*

The dessert, just like the rest of the food, was out of this world.

"I swear, Merlin, it's like you have magic." Arthur couldn't get enough of the tiramisu. He wasn't a sweets person but Merlin really knew what he was doing with his cooking.

"Thanks," Merlin said, laughing. "I'm glad to know you like it so much."

"How are the job interviews going, by the way?" Arthur asked. "I'm shocked that some fancy new restaurant hasn't already scooped you up."

Merlin grinned at Arthur's compliment. "I've got a few offers, I have to give them my decision by the end of the day on Tuesday."

Arthur didn't ask what Merlin's decision was going to be. It was clear by the look on his face that Merlin was really gruelling over it and he didn't wish to add any pressure. Merlin seemed thankful, too, when Arthur didn't ask him more questions about it.

Arthur figured Merlin was just like him. He liked opening up in his own time.

After the picnic was over, they walked back to Merlin's car where Arthur helped him load up with the leftover picnic supplies.

It seemed as though the timing had been perfect. As soon as Arthur shut the door to the trunk of Merlin's car, it started to drizzle.

"Fantastic," Arthur said, sarcastically.

"Do you want me to give you a lift to your car?" Merlin asked and Arthur considered it. He'd parked his car on the other side of the park. He nodded and they quickly climbed into Merlin's Passat.

Merlin drove around the park and Arthur gave him instructions until they were pulled up next to Arthur's Jaguar.

"Nice," Merlin said, as he eyed Arthur's car from his window.

Arthur laughed. "I know it's flashy..." Arthur loved his car and even called the colour 'moonlight blue', but he hated having to explain himself to others. "...it really pisses my father off, so it has its advantages."

Merlin smiled at him and then suddenly looked uncertain.

"So, this was...nice," Merlin said and offered his hand to Arthur.

Arthur raised an eyebrow and looked at Merlin's hand. He shook his head and then before Merlin could say anything, grabbed him by the back of his neck, and pulled him in for a kiss. Much to his relief, Merlin kissed him back.

"I hope no-sex dates didn't mean no kissing," Arthur said when he let go of Merlin. Merlin's lower lip looked deliciously red. Arthur wanted to kiss him again.

Merlin frantically shook his head. "No. Kissing is _definitely_ allowed."

"Good," said Arthur and kissed Merlin again.

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Date Two**

 **Summary:** Since Merlin had decided their first date, Arthur picked the second one.

* * *

Arthur waited until Wednesday before he rang Merlin up. He'd hoped Merlin would have called him instead, but he settled for knowing Merlin had a big decision to make. He was supposed to finalise where he was going to be employed.

When he dialled Merlin's number, it went directly to voicemail.

"Hey, it's Arthur. I know we're supposed to go out once a week and I figured that would mean Friday again, but I've got a work thing this weekend and unfortunately, I'm going to be away. I wanted to know if you wanted to get together tomorrow instead. Unless, you have other plans. Just um, call. Yeah, it's Arthur. Right. I already said that."

Arthur hung up before he would change his mind and delete the message he was leaving. After their picnic date, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about Merlin. Gwaine hadn't stopped making fun of him and Arthur hated how he found himself thinking about Merlin whenever he had a free moment.

Thirty minutes later, Merlin had sent him a text message. " _Sorry, I was in the middle of orientation at the new job when you called. I can't talk right now, but tomorrow sounds great. I'm free after five._ "

*-*00*-*

The next evening, Merlin and Arthur met up at Camelot Modern, the museum of modern art. Arthur had been meaning to go since they'd opened a new wing and figured since Merlin had decided their first date, he would pick the second one.

The museum was open until seven o'clock so Arthur thought an hour and a half was enough time and then after that, they could go out for a quick bite.

He was relatively surprised when Merlin took the lead and held his hand as they walked from gallery to gallery. He found it even more unbelievable that their taste in art couldn't have been more different.

Arthur liked paintings that were more realistic and geometrically appealing whereas Merlin claimed he could stare at abstract art for _hours_. Arthur got annoyed at _Panel for Edwin R. Campbell No. 4_ by Kandinsky, and Merlin rolled his eyes when Arthur talked about _the Son of Man_.

They both seemed to like _Spring_ by Lawrence Alma-Tadema; the artist represented the Victorian custom of sending children into the country to collect flowers in the mornings in early May and Arthur agreed with Merlin that it depicted so much hope and innocence that adults seemed to lose now, especially in the gloomy Camelot weather. He was pleased with the fact that they had found some common ground.

At the museum shop, Arthur bought Merlin a small postcard book on René Magritte, and Merlin's grin was thanks enough.

*-*00*-*

Delighted with how fun the first part of the date had been, Arthur asked Merlin if he wanted to continue hanging out. They took a walk to the closest lounge called Avalon. Arthur thought they would end up going to some hole in the wall pub, and instead, they'd ended up at a rather upscale nightclub. He didn't mind, though. Merlin really wanted to check it out and Arthur found himself unable to say no to Merlin.

They found a corner table with a comfortable sofa and Merlin called dibs on it as Arthur made his way to the bar to get a few drinks and place a food order.

"I read about this place in _Time Out_ ," Merlin told him. They were sitting next to each other, their thighs touching and Merlin had spoken the words in Arthur's ear.

Arthur shivered as he felt Merlin's hot breath on him and when he turned to face Merlin again, Merlin had captured his lips.

They kissed softly as they sat in the dark corner and Arthur felt as though they were the only two people in the world. It was amazing. Arthur knew he wanted to sleep with Merlin since he'd seen him at Gwen and Lance's party, but he also acknowledged now he'd never felt this way about any other man before. Any other man he would have actually shagged and until this moment, he hadn't even done anything with Merlin beside kiss.

*-*00*-*

When their food was ready, Arthur went up to the bar to get it and ordered a couple of more beers. He tipped the barman back to help him carry it all out to the spot where he and Merlin were sitting.

They sat side by side and ate as Arthur talked about his work. He liked working at the publishing company but he just couldn't understand why he just never seemed to satisfy his father. He said he'd figured it was because his father was really just disappointed he'd turned out to be gay and that they wouldn't have another Pendragon to carry on the family name.

Arthur rolled his eyes at the idea as Merlin nodded with understanding.

"At least you have a sister," Merlin said. "There will be some Pendragon blood eventually if she decides to procreate. I'm afraid I'm the last of the Emrys there ever will be."

"Don't you think it's ridiculous?" Arthur asked and Merlin looked confused. "There are all these abandoned, orphaned kids in the world and our parents only care about carrying out the genes. If I were the marrying kind, I'd much rather adopt. Even if I were straight."

Merlin nodded. "Me too." He paused briefly before he added, "and I am the marrying kind."

They were quiet again and finished off the food without any more comments on family, blood, or marriage. Arthur knew the more he stayed away from the topic, the better it would be.

*-*00*-*

"Do you want to dance?" Merlin asked, finishing the last of his drink.

"Here?" Arthur asked, feeling awkward. He wasn't much of a dancer.

"Yeah, there's a dance floor over there and some people are already out there. It won't be totally weird."

Arthur hesitated some more. "I don't know, Mer—"

"Come on," Merlin said standing up, and then dragged Arthur to his feet. He all but pulled Arthur all the way to the dance floor, before he wrapped his arms around Arthur's neck.

Merlin placed a quick kiss on Arthur's lips and started to move to the music. No one else seemed to be paying them any attention, so Arthur relaxed. He hoped he could do this, and that Merlin would be satisfied with just one song.

He was wrong.

* * *

 **Chapter 6: So close, yet so far**

 **Summary:** Arthur is having a difficult time keeping his hands off Merlin. He's also glad to see that Merlin sees him in a "more than friends" light.

* * *

They danced for what seemed like _hours_. After the first few slow songs, the music at the lounge really picked up, and Merlin turned around and Arthur hugged him from behind as they swayed together.

Merlin was a little tease with the way he was grinding against Arthur, making him all hot and wanting.

Arthur leaned into Merlin and bit his ear before he gently thrust up. He figured two could play this game. If he was teasing Arthur, then Arthur could definitely tease Merlin in return.

Unfortunately for Arthur, teasing Merlin wasn't all it was cracked up to be. The more he tried to make Merlin miserable with his antics, the more turned on he, himself, was getting. His cock ached in his jeans and every move, every friction, made his erection hate his decision. He definitely should have stopped dancing with Merlin after one song, two tops. But as Merlin leaned back, capturing Arthur in a kiss again, Arthur knew he was going to lose himself on the dance floor.

His left hand rested on Merlin's hip and his right hand travelled down to brush against the front of Merlin's jeans. Merlin was also hard and when Arthur dragged his nails on top of the denim, right above his cock, Merlin moaned into Arthur's mouth.

"Maybe we should call it a night," Arthur managed to say a minute later. "Otherwise, I might not be able to control myself and break the rules of our no-sex dating."

Merlin turned around and pressed his hips against Arthur. "I agree," he said, sounding completely unconvinced. "No-sex dating, and all."

"Right," Arthur said, just to be sure.

"Brilliant," Merlin replied.

"You're going to kill me, Merlin," Arthur said before he pulled Merlin in for another kiss.

"I reckon, you might murder me first," Merlin answered with a cheeky grin and then grabbed his hand to lead Arthur out of the lounge.

They walked back to their cars in silence. This time, they'd parked right next to each other near the Camelot Modern.

"So you're gone this weekend," Merlin said, sounding casual. Arthur was glad that he was changing the subject. The idea of being with Merlin and not being with him was driving him mad.

"Yeah. I've got a meeting with a new author in London."

"I officially start my new job tomorrow," Merlin said.

"Oh, right. We didn't even get to talk about that," Arthur said excitedly. It was so bizarre to not only go on non-sexual dates with another man but to actually be interested in his life. Arthur found himself pleasantly surprised at this new side of him that Merlin was uncovering.

"Next week, then?" Merlin said, he sounded nervous, or hopeful, Arthur wasn't sure. Maybe it was Arthur that was hopeful and nervous at the same time.

"I can barely wait," Arthur replied and Merlin smiled at him again, before kissing him.

"One more thing, though," Arthur said and Merlin perked up. "I know that we're not supposed to be having sex while we're dating, but that doesn't mean...I'm not going to think about you tonight when I'm in bed. _Wishing_ you were there with me. And you know, I might just..."

He might as well be honest. He'd been thinking of Merlin _like that_ since their picnic in the sun (and the kissing in the rain).

Merlin groaned and pushed Arthur against the hood of his car. "You're evil, you are."

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Seeing Merlin**

 **Summary:** Arthur's friends find out the truth about Merlin and Arthur

* * *

Arthur's trip to London proved fruitful in the business sense but he was so busy he barely had time to message Merlin. He'd be back at his hotel at the end of the evening and see three messages from him. By the time he'd write back, Merlin would have gone to bed and would only respond to them in the morning.

Arthur found himself so surprised at the truth of how much he looked forward to Merlin's messages. They even talked on the phone for a quick five minutes while Merlin was on break at his job. Arthur couldn't believe he was starting to _miss_ Merlin.

He couldn't believe he was actually dating someone and it was going _so well_.

When he returned to Camelot, Arthur was still busy with meetings day in and out. He got an email from Gwaine that Gwen was hosting a dinner party at her place and she'd invited him. Arthur had messaged Merlin about it, but discovered Merlin had to work that night and wouldn't be able to make it.

This disappointed Arthur more than he would have liked. More than he would have admitted to anyone. Even himself.

* * *

On Thursday night when Gwaine and Arthur arrived at Gwen's, Arthur thought he was dreaming when he saw Merlin open the door to the flat.

" _Mer_?"

 _Wait, did I just say that_?

In the confinement of his own bed, and in the dark, when Arthur touched himself thinking about Merlin, he often called him _Mer_ as he came.

He couldn't believe he'd just blurted that out here.

"Petnames already, I see," Gwaine commented and patted Merlin on the shoulder before he brushed past him and into the flat.

"Sorry, I didn't tell you I was going to be here," Merlin said, giving Arthur a sheepish grin.

"Oh, did you not end up working tonight?" Arthur asked, happily. He didn't care Merlin hadn't told him. This was a brilliant surprise.

"I'm sort of working... Gwen and Lance want me to cater their wedding so the dinner party tonight is sort of a tasting of samples and things."

"Wow. That's great news!" Arthur said and he was still standing by the door when Gwen and Lance called for them to come into the dining room.

Arthur led the way and part of him wanted to just reach out and take Merlin's hand. He resisted. When Arthur entered the dining room, he was amazed to see all the food that was put on display on the table. Merlin had gone all out. He'd tasted a bit of Merlin's cooking on their first date, and he was sure it was all going to be fantastic.

* * *

Gwaine had been a good friend and quiet about the fact that Merlin and Arthur were sort of dating. Morgana, on the other hand, being so close with Merlin, had not kept her mouth shut.

By the time Arthur had reached the table with an empty plate, everyone at the party knew Merlin and Arthur were dating. Maybe they didn't know all the details; they'd only started dating as a dare, really, but they all commented on how lucky Arthur was because Merlin was this amazing chef.

Arthur let them comment to their heart's content and didn't retort or fuel the fire. He figured it was him today, and by the time they'd meet again, his friends would have found a new victim.

"Sorry about that," Merlin said when things calmed down a bit and Arthur was happily stuffed with delicious food.

"About what?"

"I didn't think Morgana was going to tell _everyone_. I didn't want to put pressure on you like that and yo—"

"It's okay, Merlin." Merlin looked at him with disbelief and confusion. "Really. We're just hanging out and getting to know each other. If nothing comes of it, we'll still be good friends, yeah?"

"Yeah," Merlin said; Arthur couldn't help but think he was disappointed. He didn't feel so great himself when he'd just said those words. He wanted to be _more_ than friends with Merlin.

"Also, this is the second time I've tasted your cooking in three weeks," Arthur said, a hint of teasing in his tone, and Merlin nodded. "So can we consider this date three?"

"You really want to get this over with," Merlin said, sounding bitter.

Arthur realised he had obviously said it all wrong. "Maybe I just want another excuse to kiss you," he said biting his lip. Could he flirt with Merlin in front of all of his friends.

"You don't..." Merlin paused briefly, "...need an excuse to kiss me."

"I like the sound of that," Arthur said before he raked his fingers through Merlin's hair and pulled him closer.

Eventually, Arthur didn't care that there were other people in the room. He didn't care that he could hear Gwen giggle and Morgana release an exasperated sigh. What was she so annoyed about, anyway?

So Arthur kissed Merlin, and kept kissing him until he had to break apart and they were struggling to breathe.

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Desperate For His Touch**

 **Summary:** Arthur really can't hold it inside anymore. He wants Merlin. _Needs_ him.

* * *

"So what was that all about?" Gwaine asked Arthur when they were alone in the sitting room.

Morgana had left for the evening and Merlin, Gwen, and Lance were in the kitchen cleaning up after the dinner, while Mordred, Kara, and Percival were in the entertainment room with Lance's PS4.

"What do you mean?"

"Kissing Merlin like that in front of everyone. You know they're all gonna think you two are a _sure_ thing..."

"We are a thing," Arthur said, confused. "We're dating. We're not dating anyone else and I happen to like him, a lot."

"What happens after the two of you fuck?" Gwaine asked, and Arthur was a bit taken aback by his tone. It wasn't like Gwaine to be so crude.

"What is your problem?" Arthur asked; it was easier to get angry with Gwaine than provide an answer to a question he didn't have an answer for.

"Morgana thinks you're going to break his heart," Gwaine said.

Of course, Arthur understood now. "You care more about Morgana than your own best friend. Why don't you just ask her out? Maybe you should worry about your own fucking dating life." Gwaine rolled his eyes but Arthur wasn't finished. "What makes you think he won't break _my_ heart? I happen to like him, a lot. He dared me to go on these dates with him. What if he doesn't fancy me enough to keep a relationship and—"

"Arthur?"

Arthur stopped when he heard Merlin's voice from by the door.

"Is everything alright?"

"Fine, I was just leaving," Gwaine said before Arthur had a chance to.

Before anyone else could say anything, Gwaine was out the door. It wasn't until he'd left -Arthur realised how Gwaine had been his lift and now he needed a ride back to his flat.

"Rat bastard," Arthur mumbled.

"What happened?" Merlin's concern was adorable; he clearly didn't know Gwaine had just set them up.

Arthur sighed. "Gwaine's an arse and he just left. I'll need a lift back to mine, I'll ask Lance—"

"I can drive you."

"Mer, you don't have to." Shit, Arthur did it again. He'd called him "Mer" when Arthur had arrived at the dinner party that night and now he kept on calling him that. It was his sex name for Merlin and now it was slipping out without his control.

Merlin smiled and placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "I like that you call me that."

"Call you what?" Arthur asked, pretending to be clueless.

"You're a prat," Merlin said and shook his head. "Let's say goodbye to our hosts and I'll drop you home."

* * *

"So when did you start calling me _Mer_?" Merlin asked as they pulled away from Gwen's flat and he put Arthur's address in his GPS.

Arthur bit his lip and looked out the window for a long minute before he answered. "Since the first time I came thinking about you."

Merlin nearly stopped the car mid-road. "For fuck's sake, Arthur!"

"Hey, you asked." Arthur shrugged and batted his eyes innocently at Merlin.

"You're a pure monster, you are," Merlin said and continued driving.

"Says the man who is withholding sex from me."

"So it's about that again," Merlin mumbled and Arthur wasn't sure if he was supposed to hear that.

"It's not about _that_ , but you know, it's weird to be with someone and not be able to _be_ with them."

"The whole no-sex dating was supposed to be about getting to know each other. I wanted to show you that dating isn't all bad and we can have fun and be together, and—"

"And I'm not arguing with you, Merlin," Arthur said, frustrated. "I just—I just can't help but wonder if _you're_ the one playing with _me_."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I've liked you since forever. I used to like you when we were in uni and I didn't know you were gay. I just kept my distance because the last thing I wanted was to fall in love with a straight bloke. Then you went away and now you're back years later, you're gay, and you _seem_ to be interested in me but—"

Arthur didn't realise right away but they'd stopped driving. Merlin had pulled up in front of Arthur's house and they were parked while he went on his rant.

"It was the only way for me to get you to _see_ me," Merlin whispered.

Arthur scowled. "More games," he said.

"It's not a game. I've liked you since forever, too, Arthur." Merlin shut the car engine off and turned to face Arthur. "I was always quiet when we were in uni together and we had all these common friends. You were the first bloke I ever met that made me _question_ my sexuality. I knew I wasn't attracted to girls but I wasn't sure if I was attracted to boys, either. By the time I realised I was, you were...you were _seeing_ other people. I didn't know how to get your attention. I didn't want to date some other bloke so I didn't date anyone at all. Then I went for my Master's Degree, after that I moved to New Zealand. I dated men there but—"

"But what?"

Merlin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He looked like he was about to shut himself off and tell Arthur to get out of the car before he drove home.

Arthur leaned a bit closer to Merlin and brushed the back of his hand against Merlin's cheek. "But what?" he whispered. "Mer," he added for leverage.

Merlin looked up at him with his brows furrowed but he smiled, too. "You're a prat," he said, then laughed. " _But_...I could never find the right man. The man that made me feel the same thing you did back in the day. It was why I came back. It was why I _agreed_ to this whole no-sex dates thing so I could at least get you out of my system before you'd fuck me and then discard me."

"I don't want to discard you, Mer," Arthur said; this time the "Mer" was genuine.

When Merlin didn't say anything for a long time, Arthur decided to just go for it. "Do you want to come inside?"

"Arthur—"

"Just a drink. Maybe...maybe more," he said raising his hands in surrender. He couldn't help himself and he wasn't going to lie to Merlin. "But, we won't do anything you don't want to do and I'll make it _good_ for you. I swear."

"Yeah?" Merlin asked; his voice slightly wavering.

"Yeah. I won't even touch myself. It'll be about you." Arthur bit his lower lip for good measure. He could tell Merlin was interested or at least just a bit curious.

* * *

 **Chapter 9: You And Me And The Inevitable**

 **Summary:** Merlin takes Arthur up on his offer and goes into his flat. It isn't long until things escalate.

* * *

Arthur grabbed Merlin's hand and took him into his flat. He told Merlin to relax on the sofa as he made his way to the bar and poured them both a small shot of Jack Daniel's.

Merlin looked nervous and Arthur knew how he felt. He was nervous, too.

Arthur was very confident in his sex abilities; he'd managed to have a good shag at least three to four times a month but after dating Merlin for three weeks, he was scared how he might not be good enough for Merlin.

He'd never cared about a person like the way he cared about Merlin and he wanted to be _good_ for his Mer. God, Arthur had it bad and he hadn't even realised it. He'd liked Merlin forever — he'd told him that tonight, and Merlin had told him that he'd liked him too. They had waited _years_ for this. Both of them.

"Do I get a tour?" Merlin asked after he finished his drink and looked around the place.

"Sure," Arthur said and offered his hand to Merlin who took it without hesitation. Arthur showed him the two bedrooms, the kitchen, the dining area, and Merlin looked impressed with the size of it all. Especially the kitchen.

"Maybe you could come by and make me dinner sometime," Arthur said and Merlin seemed to agree.

Before the tour was over, Arthur pushed Merlin against the wall in the hall connecting the sitting room to his bedroom and kissed him. Merlin responded to this kiss with his hands finding their way under Arthur's shirt and his nails grazing Arthur's skin.

Arthur moaned into Merlin's mouth and pressed his body against Merlin's. Merlin's hips jerked up and Arthur knew he was just _so_ interested.

 _We've waited years for this_ , Arthur told himself. It was more than the three weeks of dating, it _was_ forever.

Arthur stopped kissing Merlin and dropped to his knees as he started to unbuckle the belt on Merlin's trousers. He didn't wait for Merlin to respond, before Merlin could change his mind, and he pulled Merlin's trousers and shorts down to the floor.

God, Merlin was perfection. It hadn't been a long time since Arthur had seen cock, but Merlin's was just bloody perfect. Maybe it was the fact that he wanted Merlin. Wanted him so damn much that everything about him just seemed incredible. Arthur didn't care. Merlin was hard for him. _Inviting_ him.

Arthur licked the head with his hands resting on Merlin's hips and he felt Merlin whimper above him. He looked up at Merlin and Merlin's mouth was slightly parted; his eyes dark with lust.

"Do it," Merlin said, almost begged, and Arthur took all of Merlin's cock in his mouth. He loved that Merlin wasn't hesitating. There was no doubt now. No going back.

Arthur swirled his tongue around the cock and he loved the sounds Merlin made above him. "God, Arthur, your _fucking_ mouth," he whispered and his hips slightly thrust as Merlin's cock hit the back of Arthur's throat.

Merlin groaned and he grabbed Arthur's hair, as if he was trying to set the rhythm for Arthur. Arthur loved Merlin pulling on his locks and leaned into the touch while trying to suck him off at the same time.

"Harder," Merlin said and Arthur sucked harder. Merlin jerked his hips again and again and he was _really_ going to town fucking Arthur's mouth like that and Arthur loved every single moment of it. "Fuck, Arthur. _More_." He was whining and he was just so needy. Who knew that Merlin could lose his resolve like that? Who knew that Merlin wanted _him_ like that?

It wasn't too long until Merlin warned him he was going to come but Arthur didn't stop. He wanted all of Merlin. Wanted to taste him; make him feel satisfied.

By the time Merlin spilled himself raw, and Arthur had kissed and sucked and licked him dry, Merlin released his grip on Arthur's hair. Arthur stood up and faced Merlin who pulled him in for a deep kiss.

"I love tasting myself on you," Merlin said, almost in a confession. "That was so hot."

Arthur smiled; he tried not to show how achingly aroused he was and he'd promised Merlin he wouldn't even touch himself so he just continued to kiss Merlin from his lips, down to his jaw, then neck—

"Touch yourself," Merlin said and Arthur released his hold on Merlin.

"What?"

Merlin pushed Arthur against the opposite wall and then returned to rest against the wall he was originally at. "Touch yourself. I want to see." The sex in Merlin's voice was almost too much.

Arthur unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them down with his shorts. He licked the palm of his right hand before he grabbed a hold of his erection. Arthur started to stroke and Merlin just _watched_. His eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly parted again as his eyes flickered from Arthur's face to his cock, then back to his face.

" _Mer_ ," Arthur said and his head tipped back, closing his eyes. "So good," he added. "Feel you..."

Merlin whimpered again and Arthur opened his eyes to look at him. His hands were in his hair and he was pulling on it as his hips slightly swayed with the rhythm of Arthur's strokes. It was the hottest thing Arthur had ever seen.

"Faster?" Arthur asked and Merlin nodded vigorously. "You want to feel me?" Arthur asked next, and Merlin nodded again. Arthur crossed the small distance between them and Merlin's hands rested on Arthur's shoulders as Arthur pumped his cock against Merlin's thigh.

"Want you to come on me, Arthur," Merlin said; his wet, hot mouth was on Arthur's neck and Arthur shuddered with arousal.

"Keep doing that and it won't take long," Arthur said.

Arthur rested his head on Merlin's shoulder and he wanted Merlin to touch him so desperately. He wondered if he should beg for it; begging was startling to look inevitable. But he didn't want to cross the line—the promise he'd made. Merlin wouldn't get him off because that's be Arthur asking Merlin and he wanted Merlin to call the shots. It was Merlin's move since Arthur had laid out all of _his_ pieces.

"I'm going to—"

"Do it, Arthur. Come on me. _Please_."

Arthur continued to pump his cock and then he was spilling uncontrollably. He spurted all over his hand and down Merlin's thigh and Merlin was biting down on Arthur's shoulder.

"God, Merlin," Arthur panted. "I haven't wanked with someone in so long; that was bloody brilliant."

Merlin groaned. "Holy shit, Arthur. I _loved_ watching you like that—fucking the most amazing thing in the world—"

"I loved it, too," Arthur said, biting his lower lip. He was sticky and he looked down at their debauched state. He didn't want to move; he didn't want to lose this moment with Merlin. "I should get a towel—"

"Kiss me," Merlin said and Arthur obliged. He wanted to wrap his hands around Merlin but he didn't want Merlin's shirt to get ruined so he wiped his hand on his own shirt before he pulled Merlin closer.

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Searching For Happiness**

 **Summary:** Arthur asks Merlin a question.

* * *

" _Will you stay the night?_ "

Arthur walked into the bathroom and grabbed a warm washcloth before returning to Merlin who stood against the wall in the hallway he and Arthur had just orgasmed against.

Arthur loved sucking Merlin off, and then he loved as Merlin watched him get off. It was one of the hottest things Arthur had ever experienced. Merlin was already an amazing partner.

Merlin hesitated.

"I—"

"Please, Merlin," Arthur said, as he was on the floor, wiping his own climax off Merlin's thigh. He looked up and met Merlin's eyes. "Please, Mer."

Merlin groaned as if he was annoyed but his smile was saying something entirely different.

"I wish I could," Merlin said, finally. "But, I have to get to the market first thing in the morning. It's my turn to run the kitchen and I can't—"

"Okay," Arthur said, understanding. His career came first. Arthur was never going to argue with that.

"Can we go on another date or are you done with me now?" Merlin asked, in a teasing tone, Arthur hoped.

"I don't ever want to stop seeing you," Arthur said, as seriously as he could.

Merlin smiled and kissed him again, before he pulled his trousers up and buttoned them. "Do you want to come to dinner at my house tomorrow? I will make anything you want."

Arthur nodded and walked Merlin out to his car.

"All I want from you tomorrow, is a decision, Merlin."

"A decision?"

"Don't answer now. But, make me a happy man tomorrow night and tell me if you want to be my boyfriend."

Merlin grinned at him and opened his mouth to say something but Arthur placed his finger on Merlin's lips.

"Tomorrow."

"Fine," Merlin said, rolling his eyes and got in his car. "A decision, and Italian."

*-*00*-*

The next morning when Arthur woke up, the first thing he did was call Morgana. They made lunch plans and Arthur decided it would be best to give her the news first.

"I asked Merlin to be my boyfriend," he said and Morgana's eyes widened, as if she was searching for something. "I know you think I'm not good enough for you him and really I'm your brother and—"

"Good. That boy's been in love with you for far too long."

"In love with me?"

Morgana rolled her eyes as if Arthur was just the stupidest thing in the world.

"What about you?" Arthur accused.

"What about me?" she asked.

"When are you going to give Gwaine a chance?"

"Oh," she said, frowning. "Well, everyone claims he likes me but he's yet to ask me out on a date."

"Why don't you ask him?"

She looked like she was contemplating this decision.

"Come on, it'll be fun. You can date my best friend and I will date yours and it'll all blow up in our faces and we'll all hate each other forever." Arthur laughed but he dreaded that outcome.

She shrugged and took a bite of her sandwich. "Or it could all work out."

Arthur nodded. "That it could." Could it? Arthur and Morgana shared a father, but he hadn't been able to work it out with either of their mothers. Their father's quest of power and money had really left both Arthur and Morgana stranded. They'd both taken such different routes towards love and now, could it be that they were both going to search for happiness and actually be successful in it?

*-*00*-*

When Arthur arrived at Merlin's that evening, he'd again brought two bottles of wine. One red and one white. He still didn't know which one Merlin preferred.

Merlin opened the door and his entire flat smelled like the kitchen of a gourmet restaurant.

"Oh, I'm going to like dating you," Arthur said.

"You say as if you know my answer," Merlin said, pulling Arthur into the flat and closing the door behind them.

"What did you make?" Arthur asked as he was led to the small dining area. Arthur could see why Merlin was so impressed with Arthur's kitchen; his was nearly half the size.

"We have Tuscan style tomato pasta salad, chicken risotto, and tiramisu since you liked it so much from our first date." He pointed at the prepared food that was set up on the table. He brought out two glasses of wine and placed them on the dining table.

"You cook like this for all your dates?" Arthur asked.

"No. Just my boyfriends," Merlin said with a smile.

"You're perfect," Arthur said and pulled Merlin towards the general direction where he thought the bedroom would be.

"Wait. What about dinner?" Merlin claimed to protest but allowed Arthur to take him to the bedroom.

Arthur pushed Merlin on the bed and got on top of him. "It can wait. I need dessert first." Arthur spotted the condoms and the lube on Merlin's night stand. "Hmm, clearly someone had expectations for the night."

"Fuck, Arthur," Merlin said, arching up. "I've been going mad this past month. I've wanted you since day one. I can't— Just fuck _me_."

Arthur didn't need to be told twice and he started to undress Merlin before he took off his own clothes. He grabbed the lube hurriedly and slicked his fingers and Merlin's hole before he pushed a finger in, then two.

Arthur _wanted_ to rush. He was so desperate to be inside Merlin.

Merlin was begging for him to hurry up; this had taken him _years_ to achieve. To finally have Merlin the way he'd wanted him since day one.

Maybe they'd rush right this moment, and get off together, but later tonight, after dinner, Arthur was going to take his time with Merlin. He was going to spend the night, he was sure of it, and he was going to show Merlin how much he'd wanted him all those years ago and for the past month.

And fuck if Arthur was going to treat this like a casual fling.

*-*00*-*

 _Three months later_

Arthur opened the door to his flat and found Merlin holding four or five grocery bags. He was struggling to keep them in his arms so Arthur helped him before one of them fell and disaster struck right at the front porch.

"Why didn't you just ask them to deliver it?" Arthur asked, shaking his head. He would have offered to go with Merlin if Arthur had known that Merlin was going to purchase the entire market.

"I went to three different shops and—"

Arthur pulled Merlin into the flat and closed the door behind him. "I know, you like doing everything on your own," he said.

They were hosting their first dinner party together and Arthur managed to invite everyone he and Merlin knew. Most people were still betting that the _boyfriends_ thing wasn't going to last, so he had to make sure they all knew that Merlin was going was there to stay.

"I got you something," Arthur said when he placed all the bags on the kitchen counter and made his way to his bedroom.

"What is it?" Merlin asked, excited. He was always so eager to get presents.

Arthur handed Merlin a small gift box and Merlin's eyes widened. He looked confused and Arthur knew that Merlin had no idea what it would be. When Merlin opened the box he lightly gasped.

"I've been thinking about it for a while and I don't know— You spend most of your nights here, anyway. And you used the kitchen a lot more than I do, and—"

"Are you sure?" Merlin asked, sounding a bit hesitant.

"It's just a key to my flat, Merlin. It's not like I gave you the keys to my Jag." Arthur would _never_ share his car with anyone.

"I don't know what to say."

"Tell me you'll use it."

"I'll use it," Merlin said.

"Whenever you want. If you want to come over in the middle of the night to give me a blow job—"

Merlin rolled his eyes. "If you'd stop talking, we might have time to do some of that right now."

"Brilliant," Arthur said and he dropped to his knees, opening Merlin's trousers in no time.

"What about the bed—" Merlin moaned as Arthur started to stroke him and licked the head of his cock. "—room?"

Arthur didn't answer the question. No answer was needed, obviously. Merlin wasn't going to let him stop now. He ran his fingers through Arthur's hair and started to tug on them.

* * *

THE END

* * *

THANK YOU FOR READING


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